Control-lever assembly for steering gears



Feb. 19, 1929. 1,702,826

E. J. GRUENEWAL D El AL CONTROL LEVER ASSEMBLY FOR STEERING GEARS Filed March 26, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l Ej Z1 20 [0 2 Feb. 19, 1929. 1,702,826

E. J. GRUENEWALD Er AL I CONTROL LEVER ASSEMBLY FOR STEERING GEARS Filed Ma 26, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Feb. 1 9, 1929. I

UNITED STATE ASSIGNORS T0 ROSS amine TOOL COMPA Y; or-LA FAYETTE, INDIANA, A coa- PORATION OF INDIANA.,

. 1,7023%, s PArE T} OFFICE.

EUGENE J. GRUENEWALD AND RANKLIN F. CHANDLER, or LA FAYETTE, INDIANA, i

CONTROL-LEVER ASSEMBLY FOR STEERING GEARS: f I

' Application' fl1ed nannies, 1927. I Serial No.;17 8,678.

This invention is an improvement "in, called-control lever assemblies for use in c nection with steering The invention provides a gears of automobiles.

simple, compact,

efiicient control lever assembly in which any desired number of control levers may be em ployed; and which can a recess in where it IS most convenlently located ation by the chauffeur.

In the accompanying drawings we have y-! will describe the same novel features 'of construction and novel be readily mounted in the hub of the steering wheel,

or Open the the combination of parts for which protection is desired.

In said drawings:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of complete control assembly having three control levers, and arranged within a recess in the hub of a steering wheel;

- Fig. 2 is a detail top plan view of the-coir trol assembly removed from the wheel;

Fig. Sis a detail view of the member; p

Figs. 4: and 5 Fig. 6 is a detail bottom plan view of cap member;

Figs. 7 and 8 are detail sectional and plan views ofone of the control levers tached;

supporting are detail topand side views of the upperend' of the supporting tube; 1

the

top de- Figs. 9 and 10 are detail top and side views of the upper Fig. 11 is a Fig. 12 is a detail view of the to Fig. 13 is a detail view of t Washer;

\ disk;

Fig. 14 is a detail sectional view-showing for preventing friction of any one of means the control levers. In the drawings tubular standard end of one of the control tubes; detail view of a friction washer;

jecting lugsor. ears 1 on which member'2 rests, and the top end of the tube is prefer ably spun over the adjacent edge of the supporting member asindicated in-Figs. 1 and 5 to make the attachment complete.

Attached tomember 2 and projecting up,- wardlytherefrom are three-studs 4, which area uidistant and (seev igs..1, Qand 6) which-is, attachedto the studs l by screws-5P T the upper face of supporting member '2 1n the... onstruction shown are three control levers 6 (marked spark lever, gas lever and light lever in Fig. 2), but the invention is support a capmember 5,-

Between thelower faceof the cap 5 A.

number thereof and in somecases it might be desired tohave one control lever only; in other cases two control levers; in other cases three levers; and the construction readily permits of additional control levers being used if desired. As these control levers areall made and assembled in the-same way, a de-' scription .of oneand' its assembly will explainall, similar parts being similarly numbered. i

j Eachlever 6 has a projecting portion which is bent upward and outward so thateach protrudes through'a peripheral space or recess between-adjacent lu s 5", on the underside the cap member (1 ig. 6). The ends of the pro ect1ng portions of the levers can be provided with molded or attached handles of e spring T designates a stationary in which it is customary to house the rotatable steering tubeS, to which the steering wheel W is attached. Within the steering tube S 1.- These parts may ismounted a fixed tube be of any suitable construction and are merely conventionally illustrated in the drawings. Within tube 1 are concentrically disposed the various control tubes hereinafter referred to.

On the upper end of the tube 1 is moun ted various materials and shapes.

shown in radially projecting ears I As the studs 5. are s aced- 120 degrees apart, it is possible in the nal assembly to secure a movement is sufiicient for 7 the purposes required.

One (the lowermost) of the three levers 6 is hason its inner end a body portion provided with an-opening to fit on the upper end of its related control lever 7 and at opposite sidesof suchopening has radial through-slots 6; and in the upper side of the lever, at opposite sides ofthe opening, are recesses 6, pref erably disposed at right angles to the slots 6. The upper end of tube 7 is formed with two or lugs 7, Figs. '9

detail in Figs. 7 and 8. This'lever 6 1 of about 90 degrees for each lever 6', which and 10, adapted to engage recesses 6 the top surfaces of lugs v7 being preferably flush with the top end of the tube 7. The tube 7 is inserted in tube 1 from the top end, and can be raised slightly, after it is inserted in the tube, so that the lugs 7 can be passed through the slots 6 in lever6, and then the lever (or tube) is turned 90 degrees until the lugs 7 register with the recesses 6", then the tube is lowered until the lugs 7 seat in the recesses 6 as shown in Fig. 1.

Before the lever 6 is thus engaged with the lugs 7, a friction washer 8 (see Fig. 11) should be placed on the supporting member :2, so that it will lie between the under face of lever 6 and the upper face of member 2 when the parts are assembled. This friction washer 8 can be made of any suitable metal or material. Said friction washer is provided with notches 8 which slidably engage the three studs 4 and prevent the washer rotating, and the washer has central opening for the passage of the controltubes, and has diametrically opposite slots 8 at opposite sides of the openingto allow the washer to bebslipped over the lugged ends of the control to es.

After lever 6 is assembled as described, another similar friction washer 8 is placed above and rests upon the top face of the lever.

The aforesaid steps are repeated in assembling the other similarly fashioned control levers with the other similarly fashioned control tubes; but the second, and each succeeding control tube used, is necessarily smaller in diameter than the one in which it is inser'ted.

The supporting member 2 may be provided with diametrically opposite lugs 2 which are adapted to engage the slots 1 in the upper end of the supporting tube 1 above lugs 1 to prevent turning of the supporting member on the tube.

With this construction of parts the control levers and tubes may be assembled until the desired number of controls is provided. Then on top of the uppermost control lever is placed a top disk or stamping 9 (see Fig. 12) which has three notches 9 slidably engaging the studs 4, and has a central tubular boss 9" in which may be inserted a fiber or insulating ferrule 10 to which is connected the upper terminal of an electric horn cable 10. On top of member 9 is placed a spring washer l l (Fig. 13") the top of which bears against the under surface of cap 5 After the parts are assembled as desirechcapbis fastened in place by the screws 5' and when the cap is fastened in position the spring washer 11 is compressed so that it presses down on disk 9. and this in turn presses down on the levers 6 and washers 8 under it; so that all of the assembled levers are held by pressure between the friction washers. The friction washers are kept from rotating by the" engagement of their notches 8 with the studs 4 so that s the friction the movement of any lever little inequalities of surfaces, or little variations in thickness of any of the members the pressure would be evenly distributed thereon.

It will be seen that when one of the tubes 7 is assembled with lever 6 and. one of the washers 8 is assembled over the lever and pressed. down thereon by the action of spring 11 as described, that it will then be, impossible for the tube Tto move upward because the lug 7 will bear against the superposed washer 8 and prevent such upward movement. Furthern'iore, it is possible to so assemble the washers 8 with respect to studs that the projecting lugs 7 can not when assembled be made to mate or match with the slots 8* in the related spring washer 8, thus absolutely preventing any undesired upward movement of the tube after the assembly is complcted.

The le ms 6, made shown, can be stamped from comparatively narrow strips of steel, atlow-cost; and each has a s'ufficient amount of surface to contact with the friction washers to produce the desired amount of friction.

In assemblies of this sort it is sometimes desirable to be able 'tohave one or more of the levers free from friction. In such case the parts can be so assembled that any one or more of the levers will have no friction produced by contact with the friction means above cl'esribed. For-instance, if it is desired to t in the central lever 6 without friction being produced, this can be done by placing spacing rings 12 around the studs 4, as shown in detail, Fig. 14, the lower ends'of the rings 12 which will rest upon the top side of the washer 8 under such lever 6, and these spacing rings being longer than the lever is thick, the washer 8 above the lever will also be held out of contact therewith. When assembled in this way the pressure produced by spring 11 will not have any frictional influence on the intermediate levers. It is possible in the same way to assemble the controls and free any one, or any two, of the levers 6 from the friction produced by sarin 11. If saacino' rines 12 are used to C it: La

relieve any lever 6 from friction, yet the pressure of the sprang 11 would still be transmitted to the other levers as the spacing rings can slide up'and'down on studs i'an'd maxinuun dian'reter ot' the-cap can be made equal to the inside diameter of the recess in the wheel, and in this way the looking slots are covered;

It is desirable toprovide an electric signal attacln'nent or C1ICll1bClO36l' at thetop of the assembly. Inthe constructionshown in Fig.

i 1 a button isloosely confined within a'ce'ntral opening in thecap member 5 andis supported-by a coiled spring 21 inserted between the button and the disk 9. The button 2Ov may be provided with a metal contact'plate 22 contacting with the spring 21 and when button'QO is depressed the central plate 22 is moved against contact screw 10 andfan electrical circuit through the horn is established in the usual manner.

We claim:

1. In a control assembly ;'a supportingtube provided with projecting lugs and a supporting member having a head provided with a bore to receive the'upperZ end of the'tube and rest upon; the lugs.

2. In a control'assembly; a supportingtube provided with projecting lugs and slotsabove the lugs, and a supporting'member having a head provided with a bore to receive the upper end ofthe'tub'e andrest upon the lugs,

the said supporting member having radial projections engaging the slots in the tube.

3. In a control assembly; a supporting tube provided with projecting lugs and-slots above the lugs and a supporting member having a head provided with a bore to receive the upper end of the tube and rest upon the lugs, and having radial-projections engaging the slots in the -tube,the upper end of the tube being flanged over the edge of the supporting member.

l. In a control assembly asupporting tube,

a supporting member thereon, a control tube, a control lever connected with'the control tube, a cap member above the control lever having spaced lugs on its under sideand peripheral recesses in its underside between i the lugs for the passage of the handles of the control levers, studs between and connecting the supporting member and cap member, and non-rotatable members interposed between the lever and supporting member and be tween the lever and cap member.

5. In a control assembly a supporting tube, a supporting member thereon, a control tube, a control lever connected with the control tube, a cap member above the control lever having an openingand provided with spaced The. openings or'slo'ts through which the objection able tubes, a cap memberqabove the control lugs on its'un'der-side andperipheral recesses in'its lower side between the lugs for the passage of the handles of the controllevers, studs between and connecting the supportlng memberandcap'member, and nonrotatable membersinterposed between the lever and supporting member and between the lever and cap'member.

6. In a control assembly, a supporting member thereoma plurality of control tubes, control levers respectively con nected with the respective control tubes, a

cap member above the control -levers, studs between and connecting the supporting member and cap member,non-rotatable friction members interposed between the. several levers and betweenthelower lever and support ving member and between the upper lever and spacing rings on the studs interposed between adjacent friction mem bers to prevent contact between said friction ,members and" the control lever therebetween.

cap member and a supporting tube, a

' 7. In a control assembly, a supportingtube,

asupporting member thereon, a plurality of control'tubes, control levers respectively co n-.

nected with the respectivecontrol tubes,- a cap member above the control levers, having spaced lugs on 1ts under-side and peripheral recesses'between'the lugstor the passage of the handles of the control levers, studs be tween and connecting the supporting member and cap member, non-rotatable -friction members interposed between the several levers lever-and supporting and between the lower member and between the upper-lever and cap member and spacing rings on the studs interposed between adjacent friction members to prevent contact between said friction members and the control lever therebetween,

'8. In a control assembly, a supporting tube, asupporting'member thereon, a plurality of studs "thereon, a plurality of concentrically disposed control tubes, a plurality ofco'ntrol levers respectively connectedwith the control tubes connected with the studs, the cap member having spaced l'ugs on its under side and peripheral. recesses between the lugs for the pas sage of the handles of the control levers, nonrotatable members interposed between the levers and between the lowermost lever and supporting member and between the uppermost lever and cap'member.

9. In a control assembly, a supporting tube, a supporting member thereon,-a plurality of studs thereon, a plurality of concentrically disposed control tubes, a plurality of control levers respectively connected with the control tubes, a cap member above the control tubes interposed between adjacent nonrotatable members to relieve the control lever intermediate said members from frictional contact therewith.

10. In a control assembly, a supporting tube, a supporting member thereon, a plural ity of studs on said member,, a plurality of concentrically disposed control tubes,- a plurality of control levers respectively connected with the control tubes, a cap member above the control tubes connected with the studs, non-rotatable friction members interposed between the several levers and between the lowermost lever and supporting member and between the uppermost lever and cap member; a non-rotatable spring member interposed between the cap member and top friction member and spacing rings on the studs interposed between adjacent friction members to prevent contact between said friction members and the control lever therebetween.

11. In a control assembly a supporting tube, a supporting member thereon, a control tube, a control lever having a body on its inner end connected with the control tube, a cap member above the control lever, nonrotatable members interposed between the lever and supporting member and between the lever and cap member and spacing studs between and connecting the supporting member and cap member exterior to the body of the lever and the nonrotatable members.

12. In a control assembly as setforth in claim 11, the cap member having spaced lugs on its under side and slots intermediate the lugs for the passage of the handles of the con trol levers.

13. In a control assembly, a supporting. tube, a supporting member thereon, a plurality of concentrically disposed control tubes, a plurality of control levers each'having a body on its inner end connected with its respective control tube, a cap member above the control tubes, non-rotatable members interposed between the lovers and between the lowermost lever and supporting member and between the uppermost lever and cap memher and spacing studs between the supporting member and cap member exterior to the bodies of the levers and the non rotatable members, said cap member being connected to said studs;

14. In a; control assembly as set forth in claim 13, the cap member having spaced lugs on itsunder side and slots intermediate the lugs for the passage of the handles of the control levers. I v p r 15. In a control assembly as set forth in claim 13, spacing rings on the studs interposed between adjacent friction members to relieve the control lever intermediate said friction members from frictional contact therewith. I V i 16. In a control assembly, a supporting tube, a supporting member thereon, a plurality of concentrically disposed control tubes, a plurality of control levers each having a body on its inner end connected with the respective control tube,- a cap member above the control tubes,rnon-rotatable friction members interposed between the several-levers and between the lowermostlever and supporting member and between the uppermost lever and cap member, a non-rotatable spring member interposed between the cap member and top friction member and spacing studs between the supporting member and cap member exterior to the bodies of the levers and the non-rotatable members. 1 I

17. In a control assembly set forth in claim 16, the spacing rings on the studs interposed between adjacent friction members to prevent contact between said friction members and the control lever thereb'etween. g

18. For a control assembly, a cap member having spaced lugs on its under side, and

recesses in its periphery between the lugs for the passage of the handles of the control levers.

19. For a control assembly, a cap member having" a central opening,- spaced lugs on its under side, and recesses in'its periphery between the lugs for the passage of the handles of the control levers.

In testimony that we clah'n the foregoin our own, we afiixour signatures.-

EUGENE J, GRUE-NEWALD FRANKLIN. r. CHANDLER. 

